Prep notebook: Taconic officially names Tetreault wrestling coach

Monument's 400-meter relay teams have solid ends to seasons

Jeremy Tetreault is now officially Taconic's head wrestling coach, as the 'interim' tag was removed from his title last week. (Matthew Sprague / Berkshire Eagle Staff)

PITTSFIELD - Jeremy Tetreault had the 'interim' tag removed from his title last week, as he was selected to coach the Taconic High School wrestling team on a full-time basis.

Tetreault was one of five applicants for the position, with all five interviewed. Pittsfield Schools Athletic Director Jim Abel led the three-person search committee, alongside Taconic principal John Vosburgh and an unnamed third PPS faculty member.

"It's a relief, not only for me, but for the parents and the kids," Tetreault said Thursday. "It keeps a little continuity within the team. I've got a little familiarity with these guys. I know what to expect and I think the kids know what to expect, too."

Tetreault had been interim Braves coach since January, when then-coach Matt Chamberlain was removed from the position due to what was termed a "personnel matter" at the time.

Abel said Tetreault's past experience, both with Taconic and in Berkshire County wrestling circles before his time with the Braves made him the strongest candidate for the job.

"That past experience, combined with the role he took on this past season it made for an easy decision for us," Abel said.

Tetreault now hopes to fill holes in the lineup that existed late last season. Returners Nick Bailey, Dylan Sickell and Dave Jones qualified for the Division III state meet this winter, with Jones taking sixth place at 220 pounds.

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"I still have Dave Jones, Josh Broskey, Dylan Sickell and Nick Bailey [returning], who placed at Western Mass.," the coach said. "We're looking for those guys to lead the team again."

Taconic wrestlers are taking part in offseason tournaments this summer, according to Tetreault, and participating in open-door workouts like the ones being held by Mount Greylock coach Ray Miro. Tetreault expects some of his wrestlers to compete in the Bay State Summer Games.

"The kids go if they want to go," he said. "We've had four or five kids who have been consistently going."

Monument boys relay heads to nationals

The Monument Mountain boys track and field team will be represented on a national stage this weekend.

The Spartans' 400-meter relay team of Connor Storti, Mike Kotleski, Jay Graham and Jesse Arevalo will run at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, N.C. The relay team is in the fifth of five preliminary heats; the winner of each heat advances to the finals, as well as the next three fastest teams in the 38-team 4x100 field.

The Spartans finished 20th in the event at last week's All-State meet in Bridgewater. A week before that, they won the event at the Central-Western Mass. Division II meet - which Monument also won as a team.

"We looked [the meet] up at the beginning of the year. We knew it was possible," senior Jesse Arevalo said Thursday. "As the times came down, we entered our time and were accepted by the board."

The relay will have a different look this week, with its third different anchor-leg runner in as many weeks. Jay Graham starts, handing off to Arevalo; he'll hand off to Kotleski, who will give the baton to Storti for the anchor leg.

Last week, Alex Cami ran the anchor, as Lucas Wartella - who ran the final leg at Central-Western Mass - was not available.

"We have a new team, so it'll be interesting," Storti said. "From me to Mike, our handoff is strong. We'll do well.
"We're the underdogs, so there's not a lot of pressure."

The Spartan runners, accompanied by assistant coach Jordan Storti this weekend, had to pay their own way to the meet. They raised approximately $600 to cover travel and registration, driving to North Carolina for the meet, according to Arevalo.

The preliminary heats are run at 10 a.m. Friday, with the finals at 7:30 p.m. if the Spartans qualify, according to Connor Storti.

Pittsfield's Donati: I'm going to UAlbany

Pittsfield High School junior baseball player Kevin Donati says he'll play for the University at Albany after his Generals career ends next year.

Donati said he made the early commitment to the Great Danes because the program is a "perfect fit" for him.

"Walking out of there, I felt like there was nothing wrong with the school. The program's amazing," he said. "The coaching staff, they really work hard and have a passion for baseball. I really like what they do with the kids in the summer, and I like the confidence there."

Donati hit .534 for PHS this season, driving in 23 runs and scoring 31 for the Generals. At shortstop, he committed just five errors this season, tallying a .940 fielding percentage.

"That's amazing. Five errors all season," Pittsfield coach Bob Moynihan said. "He went to Rip City all those years as a young kid, and [saw] a lot of repetition. In baseball, that's the name of the game. The more reps you get, the more confident you're going to be."

Donati, the grandson of longtime area baseball and softball coach Buddy Pellerin, said his goal for the 2015 is simple: win a Western Mass. championship. PHS was defeated in the first round of this year's D-I sectional draw by eventual runner-up Taconic.

"Since freshman year, that's been my goal," he added. "We had a great year this year; we just got knocked out early by Taconic. Hopefully we can do next year what they did in the playoffs this year."

Teasdale earns MSTCA honor

Even though the season ended at the MIAA All-State track and field meet, the Lenox cross country/track community earned another honor this week.

Millionaires cross country and track/field coach Jeanne Teasdale was named Western Mass. Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year by the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association. She is the first Berkshire County coach to receive such an honor since Mount Greylock girls coach Larry Bell won in 2006.

Monument's Hassett to Hartford

Monument Mountain runner Heather Hassett says she's heading to the University of Hartford next year to run cross country and indoor track and field for the Hawks, which was confirmed Thursday evening by Hartford assistant coach Aimée Dawson.

The recent MMRHS graduate took fourth place in the high jump and sixth in the 800-meter run at the Central-Western Mass. Division II meet two weeks ago in Fitchburg. She reached The Eagle's Honor Roll in the 400, 800, 1,600 and high jump this season.

"It turned out that Hartford was the better fit, both academically and running," Hassett said of her decision, which was apparently between Hartford and Northeastern.

"Their coach [Stephen Walsh] is amazing," Hassett continued. "He reminds me so much of [Monument girls coach Ted] Collins, how they look at running. The girls on the team remind me of the girls on my team right now."

In the fall, Hassett took third place individually in the Western Mass. Division II cross country meet at Northfield, as the Spartans qualified for states for the second year in a row with a third-place team finish. She plans to enter Hartford's physical therapy program in the fall.

Monument girls relay sets record

The Monument Mountain girls 400 relay team had just as much success as the boys this season, setting a school record in the event at the recent All-States meet.

The team of Hannah Cohen, Victoria Costello, Anna Lane and Paige Storti ran a 51.7-second relay at the meet, beating the previous school record which had been set in 1997, according to MMRHS coach Ted Collins.

The team took third at the Central-Western Mass. Division II meet, and 20th at All-States a week after that.

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